Short answer: Prediction is using the time before each part of the recording to work out what each answer will look like: a noun or a verb, a number or a name, singular or plural, and what idea the speaker will express.
It does not tell you the answer, but it tells you what to listen for, so the right word stands out when it arrives.
The recording is played once. Candidates who hear the audio "cold" try to understand everything and miss the one word that mattered. Candidates who have predicted know which word they are waiting for.
When you predict
Before each part begins, you get time to read the questions for that part. Some parts also pause halfway to give you time for the next group of questions. Spend all of it predicting. Do not use it to worry about the questions you just answered.
Grammatical prediction
The words around a gap narrow down what can go in it:
| Clue | Predicts | Example gap (written for this article) |
|---|---|---|
| a / an before the gap | A singular countable noun (consonant or vowel sound) | Bring an ______ to the first class. |
| several, many, a few | A plural noun | There are several ______ near the station. |
| £, $, per cent, per night | A number | Rooms cost £ ______ per night. |
| to before the gap | Often a verb, or a place after "go to" | Students need to ______ before Friday. |
| very, quite, too | An adjective or adverb | The route is very ______ in winter. |
Meaning prediction
Next, think about what the answer is likely to mean. A gap in "The club meets every ______" wants a day or a frequency. A gap in "The main problem with the site is the ______" wants a noun describing a difficulty: noise, cost, access.
You will not guess the exact word, but you will recognise it when the speaker says it.
Also predict the paraphrase. If the question says "the cost", expect the speaker to say "you'll pay", "it comes to" or "the fee is". Our guide to paraphrasing techniques lists common patterns.
Prediction for other question types
- Multiple choice: read the options and notice how they differ. Often all three will be mentioned; the question is which one the speaker settles on. See multiple choice strategy.
- Map labelling: find the starting point and the direction words you will need (opposite, next to, at the end of). See map labelling.
- Matching: read the list of options first so you recognise them when they come up. See matching questions.
Do not lock in a prediction
Prediction is a target, not an answer. Recordings deliberately include wrong answers first: a speaker suggests Tuesday, then changes it to Thursday. If you predicted a day, you are ready to catch both, and the correction tells you which to write. If what you hear does not fit your prediction at all, trust the recording.
A practice routine
- Take a practice section and, before playing it, write your prediction next to every gap: word class, and a guess at the meaning.
- Play it once and answer.
- Score two things separately: how many answers you got right, and how many predictions matched the answer type. As prediction accuracy rises, the score follows.
Our Listening practice tests and the part-by-part guides, starting with Part 1, are good places to build the habit.